Reclining Liberty
Image: Opening Celebration of Zaq Landsberg’s Reclining Liberty at MoCA Arlington August 5, 2023
Project Details
Artist: Zaq Landsberg
Materials: Plaster resin, oxidized copper paint, foam, wood, steel
Date: August 5, 2023-July 28, 2024
Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Arlington and Arlington Public Art present Reclining Liberty by Zaq Landsberg, a 25-foot-long sculpture displayed on MoCA Arlington’s front lawn at Maury Park (3550 Wilson Boulevard) from August 5, 2023, to July 28, 2024.
Reclining Liberty takes inspiration from the giant reclining Buddha statues of Asia, which represent the Buddha in one stage on the path to enlightenment and are a theme throughout Buddhist art. By merging the traditional Buddhist reclining pose and the quintessential American figurative symbol, Reclining Liberty asks the viewer to contemplate the status of the ideals the Statue of Liberty represents.
The piece allows viewers to interact with the sculpture on a human level by touching, climbing, sitting atop, and leaning against the figure. Finished with a coat of copper powder and an oxidizing acid, the patina mimics the actual Statue of Liberty.
Reclining Liberty was originally installed in Morningside Park in Manhattan in April of 2021 and quickly became a neighborhood landmark and a popular spot for formal and impromptu public gatherings. In May of 2022, the work was relocated to Liberty State Park, where it greeted visitors boarding the ferries to Liberty Island. The latest installation mentioned here Hyperallergic article.
MoCA Arlington and Arlington Public Art are excited to co-sponsor the work’s first appearance outside of New York and New Jersey. An opening celebration and community picnic will be held on August 5, 2023, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. There will be a talk with the artist, an art activity for families, and refreshments. The work’s yearlong installation at MoCA Arlington will be accompanied by a series of public programs to be announced at a later date. This joint presentation is in celebration of Arlington Public Art’s 40th anniversary and MoCA Arlington’s 50th anniversary.
More about Zaq Landsberg.
More about the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Arlington.